INDIANAPOLIS — Grad transfer guard DeVante’ Jones came to Michigan for a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament.
Yet, Jones won’t get that opportunity in Thursday’s first-round game against Colorado State at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He didn’t make the trip with the team and won’t play because he’s in concussion protocol.
According to coach Juwan Howard, Jones suffered the concussion when he took an inadvertent elbow in the nose area on a drive to the basket during a “competitive” period of practice Tuesday.
“He will not be able to suit up on Thursday,” Howard said Wednesday. “Unfortunately, it's a bummer because here is a young man who has been a part of Coastal Carolina, had a lot of success there. Now he has the opportunity to play at the University of Michigan and led our team. He's also a big reason why we're here."
Jones has started every game at point guard this season and is averaging 10.7 points, 4.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds in 29.3 minutes. In recent weeks, he has been one of the most efficient players on the team and has been playing his best basketball at the right time.
Over the past six games, Jones is averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 63.6% on 2-pointers and 36.4% from 3-point range. His 21-point, nine-assist outing in the regular-season finale carried the Wolverines to a 75-69 win at Ohio State without sophomore center Hunter Dickinson and secured Michigan’s spot in the Big Dance.
The news is another bump in what’s been a rocky road for Michigan this season. The Wolverines have had to navigate a COVID-19 outbreak and a pair of congested three-game, five-day stretches. They’ve had to deal with Howard’s five-game suspension. They’ve played several games without key guys, including two contests without freshman forward Moussa Diabate and Dickinson.
But for Jones, it’s a tough blow. He has long dreamed of playing in the NCAA Tournament and described the moment Michigan’s name was called on Selection Sunday as “surreal.”
“When I get home, I might cry because as a kid this is something that you pray about,” Jones said Sunday. “The last three years at Coastal Carolina I gave everything I had, and I always fell short. So just being able to come here to Michigan with Juwan Howard and the rest of the amazing coaching staff and having the ability to play in March Madness, that's something everybody can't do. Me, personally, I'm going to take this very seriously and take advantage of it.”
With Jones unavailable against Colorado State, Howard said he’ll turn to freshman guard Frankie Collins, freshman guard Kobe Bufkin and fifth-year senior guard Eli Brooks to step up in Jones’ absence.
The trio could share the point guard duties and initiate the offense, with Collins the most likely to slide into the starting lineup and handle much of responsibilities in what would be his first start.
“We have good players behind (Jones). We have Frankie, we have Kobe,” said Brooks, who has played both guard spots throughout his career.
“Just running the team, getting people in their spots, (Collins) has grown in that area. Since DeVante' has been playing so well — you guys haven't seen that as much, but Frankie is a good leader at the point guard position, getting everybody in their spots. It will be nice to see that.”
According to a program spokesperson, it’s possible Jones could travel to Indianapolis and be available for Saturday’s game if the Wolverines advance to the Round of 32. However, getting past Colorado State won’t be an easy task.
The Rams are led by a talented tandem in 6-foot-6 forward David Roddy and junior guard Isaiah Stevens, who are both shooting at least 46% from the floor and are averaging a combined 34.3 points per game. Roddy, the Mountain West player of the year, is the driving force and is someone who Dickinson compared to Rutgers star Ron Harper Jr.
“He’s a guy who is undersized but girthy and can somehow move his body like he does,” Dickinson said. “He’s somebody who is able to pick and pop and put it on the floor and score at all four levels, as Coach (Phil) Martelli says. He's somebody we will have to definitely stop if we want to win the game.”
Added Howard: “Roddy is the head of the snake. Very competitive young man. Plays with a lot of energy and effort. (He’s) undersized, I'm sure people have said. How I look at him, how he competes, he's not undersized because of his toughness, the way he is able to get downhill to finish over top of lane.”
Michigan has its own star in Dickinson and a size advantage inside. The Wolverines have much more NCAA Tournament experience than the Rams, who are in the Big Dance for the first time since 2013. They also have a feel for Gainbridge Fieldhouse, having played in the arena last week and last postseason.
But the one thing Michigan won’t have to help them on Thursday is Jones.
“I'm sure he's going to be healthy soon, take his time. We're not trying to rush him back. We want him 100% healthy,” Howard said.
“But overall, I love how his teammates are going to be there to stand up and play hard for him.”
NCAA Tournament
No. 11 Michigan vs. No. 6 Colorado State
— Tip-off: 12:15 Thursday, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
— Records: Michigan 17-14, Colorado State 25-5
— Line: Michigan by 1.5
— Outlook: This is the third all-time meeting between the teams — last one was Feb. 11, 2002 — and first encounter in the NCAA Tournament. … Colorado State is led by junior forward David Roddy (19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds) and was ranked as high as No. 20 in the Associated Press poll this season. … Four of Colorado State’s losses came against San Diego State and UNLV, two teams Michigan beat by 14 points and 13 points, respectively. … The winner advances to face No. 3 Tennessee or No. 14 Longwood on Saturday.
